Wow that's a great photo...one of the coolest things I've ever seen was fishing in Florida when a bald eagle swoops down and catches a bass about 20 yards from our boat! Fishing that day went: Eagle 1, Shane 0 but, it was worth every second I spent on the boat to see an eagle in action.

I was fortunate as a kid. My parents had a summer place on the Maine coast and there was a bald eagle nesting on a small island just off-shore. They are magnificent, and if you haven't seen one close-up, they get pretty big. Wing spans can be upwards of 8 ft.

Bobby, that is even beyond spectacular. Devin, you need to post this on the main FJ page my friend. It is absolutely gorgeous and inspiring. We have a ton of hawks here that live in the foothills, and as beautiful as they are, they do not compare to this Bald Eagle.

The answer leads all the way back to 1896 when Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College changed its name to Virginia Polytechnic Institute. With the change came the necessity for writing a new cheer and a contest for such a purpose was held by the student body.

Senior O.M. Stull won first prize for his "Hokie" yell (Old Hokie Cheer below) which is still used today. Later, when asked if "Hokie" had any special meaning, Stull explained the word was solely the product of his imagination and was used only as an attention-getter for his yell. It soon became a nickname for all Tech teams and for those people loyal to Tech athletics.

The official university school colors - Chicago Maroon and Burnt Orange - also were introduced in 1896. The colors were chosen by a committee because they made a 'unique combination' not worn elsewhere at the time. The official definition of "hokie" is "a loyal Virginia Tech Fan".

The HokieBird The bird is a "HokieBird" which has evolved from a turkey. Virginia Tech teams were once called the "gobblers"!